State Sen. Lynn Findley denies he deployed misleading and false statements in September to get $3 million in state money for his associates handling the Treasure Valley Reload Center.
Findley said in a telephone interview Friday that he stood by his remarks to legislators in September and that he had been privately provided information that conflicts with financial details presented to project leaders. That includes his representation to legislators that the emergency $3 million “will finish the project.”
A new report released last week showed the project is even deeper in trouble than when Findley spoke. The shortfall to get the Nyssa center done is more than $8 million.
In September, Findley told legislators that reports of a significant cost overrun were untrue. An investigation by The Enterprise established the numbers he discounted in fact had been in the senator’s files for a month prior to his legislative appearance.
Given Findley’s assertions in September, legislators may resist any new pitch for another taxpayer bailout for the Nyssa project. One legislator warned in September that while state Emergency Board was approving the $3 million, project leaders alone were assuming any risk if more was needed, suggesting no further legislative help.
But project managers last week told directors of the Malheur County Development Corp., the public company managing the project, that going back to the Legislature was a likely option. The directors were presented a new budget...
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